diff --git a/docs/registry.go b/docs/registry.go
index 1bd73cde..55154e36 100644
--- a/docs/registry.go
+++ b/docs/registry.go
@@ -13,10 +13,12 @@ import (
 	"net/http/cookiejar"
 	"net/url"
 	"regexp"
+	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/dotcloud/docker/dockerversion"
 	"github.com/dotcloud/docker/utils"
 )
 
@@ -757,3 +759,40 @@ func NewRegistry(authConfig *AuthConfig, factory *utils.HTTPRequestFactory, inde
 	r.reqFactory = factory
 	return r, nil
 }
+
+func HTTPRequestFactory(metaHeaders map[string][]string) *utils.HTTPRequestFactory {
+	// FIXME: this replicates the 'info' job.
+	httpVersion := make([]utils.VersionInfo, 0, 4)
+	httpVersion = append(httpVersion, &simpleVersionInfo{"docker", dockerversion.VERSION})
+	httpVersion = append(httpVersion, &simpleVersionInfo{"go", runtime.Version()})
+	httpVersion = append(httpVersion, &simpleVersionInfo{"git-commit", dockerversion.GITCOMMIT})
+	if kernelVersion, err := utils.GetKernelVersion(); err == nil {
+		httpVersion = append(httpVersion, &simpleVersionInfo{"kernel", kernelVersion.String()})
+	}
+	httpVersion = append(httpVersion, &simpleVersionInfo{"os", runtime.GOOS})
+	httpVersion = append(httpVersion, &simpleVersionInfo{"arch", runtime.GOARCH})
+	ud := utils.NewHTTPUserAgentDecorator(httpVersion...)
+	md := &utils.HTTPMetaHeadersDecorator{
+		Headers: metaHeaders,
+	}
+	factory := utils.NewHTTPRequestFactory(ud, md)
+	return factory
+}
+
+// simpleVersionInfo is a simple implementation of
+// the interface VersionInfo, which is used
+// to provide version information for some product,
+// component, etc. It stores the product name and the version
+// in string and returns them on calls to Name() and Version().
+type simpleVersionInfo struct {
+	name    string
+	version string
+}
+
+func (v *simpleVersionInfo) Name() string {
+	return v.name
+}
+
+func (v *simpleVersionInfo) Version() string {
+	return v.version
+}
diff --git a/docs/service.go b/docs/service.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..530a7f7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/service.go
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+package registry
+
+import (
+	"github.com/dotcloud/docker/engine"
+)
+
+// Service exposes registry capabilities in the standard Engine
+// interface. Once installed, it extends the engine with the
+// following calls:
+//
+//  'auth': Authenticate against the public registry
+//  'search': Search for images on the public registry (TODO)
+//  'pull': Download images from any registry (TODO)
+//  'push': Upload images to any registry (TODO)
+type Service struct {
+}
+
+// NewService returns a new instance of Service ready to be
+// installed no an engine.
+func NewService() *Service {
+	return &Service{}
+}
+
+// Install installs registry capabilities to eng.
+func (s *Service) Install(eng *engine.Engine) error {
+	eng.Register("auth", s.Auth)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Auth contacts the public registry with the provided credentials,
+// and returns OK if authentication was sucessful.
+// It can be used to verify the validity of a client's credentials.
+func (s *Service) Auth(job *engine.Job) engine.Status {
+	var (
+		err        error
+		authConfig = &AuthConfig{}
+	)
+
+	job.GetenvJson("authConfig", authConfig)
+	// TODO: this is only done here because auth and registry need to be merged into one pkg
+	if addr := authConfig.ServerAddress; addr != "" && addr != IndexServerAddress() {
+		addr, err = ExpandAndVerifyRegistryUrl(addr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return job.Error(err)
+		}
+		authConfig.ServerAddress = addr
+	}
+	status, err := Login(authConfig, HTTPRequestFactory(nil))
+	if err != nil {
+		return job.Error(err)
+	}
+	job.Printf("%s\n", status)
+	return engine.StatusOK
+}